Changes
by Texan Red Rose
Summary: AU. Shego's looking forward to a fishing trip with her father, until the annoying redhead who lives next door shows up. She's not happy about it, but maybe her opinion will, heh, change.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kim Possible or any of the characters. Rawr. More info at the bottom.

-Changes-

"Shego!" a deep baritone resounded up the stairs, catching the girl's attention easily. Glancing at the clock on her night stand, the tewlve-year-old nearly squealed with delight as she dashed to her door, grabbing the items she'd already set aside for the day before rushing out into the hall and down the stairs.

"I'm coming, Old Man!" she yelled, a wide smile on her face as she jumped the last three steps to the ground floor of the home. She always called her father 'The Old Man', just as he always called her 'Shego'. She hated her first name and tried her hardest never to hear it; her father, her best friend in the world, understood that completely, burdened with a rather irksome name himself. Bright emerald eyes blinked at the sunlight streaming through the open front door. Her father's fishing pole was leaning against the door frame with his black tackle box with yellow clasps and handle sitting next to it, proving that they would be going fishing, just as the Old Man had promised earlier in the week. Shego had her own pole and tackle box in hand, both colored black and green and miniature in comparrison to her father's equipment. "Hey Old Man! Where are you?"

"In the kitchen, Shego!" her father called, stepping into the foyer of their home a moment later with a picnic basket in his hand. "Thought we could do with some grub while we're on the water."

"I just assumed you broke your hip again," Shego teased, her smile growing impossibly wider as he chuckled and ruffled her long ebony hair. "Well? Are we ready to go, Old Man?"

"Almost," he replied, stooping to grab his equipment before stepping out into the soft glow of the morning sun. "Ah, seems we're closer to being ready than I thought."

Confused, Shego jogged outside, careful not to let her fishing pole hit the ground, until she drew even with her father, searching for what he was talking about. Then she spotted the bobbing red mane and openly cringed, groaning. "Old Man, please tell me you're kidding!"

"Now now, Shego, she asked to come with us," her father gently scolded his only daughter, flashing a smile at the newcomer as she came through the front gate. The little girl was wearing torn up bluejeans but, whereas Shego wore a black striped baseball jersey over a white and green t-shirt, the little girl had on a white shirt with a pink heart in the center. "Good morning, Kimberly. Are you ready to go catch some fish?"

"Uh-huh!" the young girl beamed, holding up the fishing pole that had obviously seen better days. Shego rolled her eyes, absolutely detesting her eight-year-old neighbor.

"Old Man, I don't _want_ her to go!" Shego huffed, scowling at the young redhead. "It's our day! Don't take the girl with us!"

"Shego, mind your manners. She asked to come," her father gently explained and smiled down apologetically at Kimberly, who was slightly hurt by Shego's words. "We can't leave her behind."

"Well, can't we take someone else instead?" Shego looked up to her father, her deep emerald orbs searching those black depths and imploring as best a pre-teen could. "How about that annoying kid, Drew Lipsky? Or that other annoying kid, Junior? Heck, if you wanna take someone annoying, just bring Musclehead!"

Her father couldn't help but chuckle at his daughter's nickname for her eldest brother. Before he could answer or scold her, Kimberly spoke up, poking Shego in the shoulder with her fishing pole.

"Hey! Be nice!" the eight-year-old slightly scolded, determination glinting in soft olive orbs.

"Or what, Princess?" Shego growled, taking a threatening step forward. They started to glare at each other, challenging each other. Shego was not about to back down, but neither, it seemed, was Kimberly. Finally, the elder girl got annoyed with the redhead's defiance and swung her fishing pole, looking to knock some sense into that empty head. She was surprised when the small girl ducked the swipe and abandoned her fishing pole and the little red coffee can she'd tucked under her other arm in favor of launching at Shego. The emerald-eyed girl was a second too late in reacting and grunted as the smaller girl's weight knocked her off balance. Throwing aside her pole and tackle box, Shego broke the girl's hold on her torso before lashing out with a kick. Her father was teaching her martial arts and she'd been dying to smack someone around, besides her brothers of course.

That was easier said than done, it seemed, for Kimberly easily ducked and counter attacked with a kick of her own. The little girl had to dart close to Shego in order to make up for the height difference but showed no fear in doing so, which the older girl had to admit a grudging respect for, on some level. They ended up rolling in the dirt, grappling with each other and using every move in the book short of pulling the other's hair. Finally, Shego's father stepped in and easily lifted the two girls off the ground and upside down, holding each by their right leg.

"Now that you got that out of your systems," the Old Man chuckled, then turned his gaze on his daughter. "Both of you behave and we'll go fishing or we all go home, okay?"

Shego grumbled out a reply while crossing her arms over her chest. When her father set them down, she scooped up her discarded rod and tackle box and scowled at Kimberly, who was peeking inside her coffee can. "I bet you get grossed out by worms, huh Princess?"

"'Nuh-uh! See?" Kimberly tilted the can so Shego could see the dirt inside, slim, pink worms wiggling through the loose earth as if trying to find a way out of their prison. Shego looked back up to see the conviction shining in those olive orbs. "I had to catch 'em. That was the deal."

"The deal?" Shego wondered, looking up to her father. The Old Man chuckled, clapping a hand on his caughter's shoulder.

"Yes, Shego. I told little Kimberly she could come with us only if she caught the bait," he patiently explained, the redhead in question sealing up her coffee can and trotting back towards the road, eager to walk down to the fishing hole and start their day with her pole in hand. Though Shego was still a bit irked by the intrusion, the pre-teen could at least stomach a girl who didn't freak out about worms. Heck, even her eldest brother was grossed out by the tiny creatures. She didn't have to like Kimberly though. Something must have shown in her face as her father leaned down and whispered to her. "You'll feel differently one day. Call it a hunch."

"Babe, something wrong?" a voice called softly, jerking Shego out of her thoughts. Looking at the young woman latched onto her arm as they exited the movie theater, the emerald-eyed beauty couldn't help but smile a little. They'd matured since that fishing trip, both Shego and Kimberly, the past ten years changing them greatly. Shego was taller, her ebony hair falling to just past the small of her back, and her frame subtly muscled from years of martial arts training, a thing her father had insisted upon just as he insisted Shego's feelings would change about the redheaded girl now smiling up at her. Kimberly had changed too, growing closer to Shego in height than she'd been ten years prior, but not as defined as the older woman. While Shego dedicated herself to martial arts, Kimberly had become a cheerleader and gymnist, though she could still put up a decent fight whenever the mood struck them.

They had bonded on that trip ten years ago, finding they had more things in common than they ever thought possible. They weren't the exact same though. Shego went through her teen years rebelling against every system save for her father's word and remaining as aloof about everything as she could possibly be. Kim, on the other hand, was the definition of the girl-next-door, in the most innocent way. School committees, sports, the highest level classes, even community service that bordered on the near insane from time to time, everything that set her as a shining star, a sort of hero, in their hometown. Most people couldn't believe the Rebel and the Town Hero could be friends, let alone anything more.

Yet, there they were, with Shego trying her hardest to remain the uncaring, typical jerk Rebel while dating the optimistic, open hearted Town Hero. It was hard though; everything about Kimberly made Shego want to show her that there was a softer side to the badass she'd built herself as, but she managed to resist. She still had an image to maintain, though Kimberly always joked that everyone could see through the facade.

Shego noticed she'd drifted off again with Kimberly watching her with those glowing olive orbs she loved so much, concern evident as the elder woman tried to shrug it off. Kimberly's eyes always betrayed whatever emotion she was feeling strongest; it was one of those things that hadn't changed.

"Nah, just reminding myself how stupid that movie was," Shego teased, pulling her arm free to wrap around Kimberly's shoulders. The redhead took to holding onto the other woman's waist instead, playfully rolling her eyes.

"Oh, admit it, you liked it!" Kimberly laughed, reaching up to brush an errant lock of hair behind Shego's ear. It was one of the unspoken rules of their relationship: Shego doesn't 'love' anything or anyone, except her father. Though it was the hardest part for Kimberly to accept, she did, hoping one day things would change, as they had ten years ago. Most told her it was a pointless aspiration but they were easily ignored. "You know you can't lie to me, Shego."

The emerald-eyed woman smiled. Aside from her father, Kimberly was the only person allowed to use that nickname. She'd eventually given in to using her birth name as needed in school and invented a new moniker she introduced herself as; the name her father had dubbed her became a treasure few knew. Her brothers had learned not to use it unless they wanted to tick her off, which they rarely wanted to do intentionally. The redhead had a nickname too, one Shego had given to her on that fishing trip all those years ago to annoy the little girl. She hadn't expected Kimberly to like it, just as she hadn't expected her feelings towards the annoying redhead to change as they had.

Shego leaned down and captured Kimberly's lips with her own, softly kissing her girlfriend of three years. When the kiss ended, they stayed close, their foreheads touching, as Shego whispered. "Yeah, I know Kimmie... but it still was a stupid movie."

"Hey!" a gruff voice intruded upon their moment and Shego rolled her eyes. She should be used to the offended outcries from residents of their hometown by now but she truly didn't care for them. She was about to say as much, giving whoever decided to butt in on their date a piece of her mind, when her eyes caught sight of the revolver. "Do what I tell you to and there won't be any harm."

Shego was about to growl out a reply, something along the lines of a very good suggestion where the man could shove that firearm, but then he lifted the weapon and pointed the barrel straight at the redhead while reaching for Kimberly. Her sweet Kimmie. For all her martial arts training, Shego found her body reacting to the rising panic instead, her hand instantly fishing her wallet from her back pocket to offer to the man.

"Here, take my wallet, just leave her alone!" Shego surprised herself with the desperate plea, but found herself speaking only the truth. Her other hand busied itself with locating the keys to her car, willing to offer her Mustang as well, if it would keep the man from using the revolver.

Kimberly was having none of that, though. Using Shego to balance, the redhead sharply raised her off leg, kicking the man's hand before her had time to pull the trigger. As the firearm spun away, she rushed in and delivered one good punch combo, laying the man out with a grunt.

Shego was too stunned to move, wallet still in hand, shock replacing the terror that the weapon had brought. When those olive orbs met emerald, Shego could see the confusion flashing through her girlfriend. She couldn't blame the redhead; since when did Shego the Rebel get scared? Well, she conceded, she hadn't been scared, she'd been utterly terrified. That was a sobering realization, and it was quickly followed by a few more. With jerky movements, Shego moved forward and enfolded Kim into a tight embrace.

"Shego?" Kimberly questioned softly, wrapping her arms around the other woman's taller frame. "Are you okay?"

The emerald-eyed woman could only muster a single response through the myriad of other emotions filtering through her. "Kimmie... I love you."

Kimberly was genuinely shocked but it passed quickly, a smile claiming her lips. "I love you too, Shego."

Shego held the redhead tighter- which made it increasingly difficult for Kimberly to breathe though she said nothing of it- until she could speak again, a few tears falling from her eyes. "I thought... he would..."

"No," Kimberly stated, nuzzling into the embrace. "No one on this Earth can take me from you, babe. No one."

"Promise?" Shego choked out, some part of her mind scoffing at her behavior while the overwhelming majority demanded she never let go. Kimberly just giggled softly, placing a tender kiss to Shego's cheek.

"I promise."

Shego tore her gaze away from the white wall of the hospital as the opening door took her from her memories. Five years again saw Shego greatly changed from the young woman who was ready to hand over everything on her person out of fear for her girlfriend's life. Not so much physically speaking, but mentally; Shego took her relationship far more seriously after that and never let a day go by without telling Kimberly, her beloved Kimmie, how much she cared for her. She cleaned up her act, applied herself in a way she'd previously reserved for her martial arts training, and found herself sitting at a comfortable job with a very bright future ahead of her.

Well, it _was_ bright. At the moment, there seemed to be a dark cloud hanging over her, one only her Princess could dispell. However, Kimberly was in surgery at the moment, after some complications arose that Shego couldn't quite understand. Really, she hadn't heard anything after being informed that something was wrong and being forcibly removed from the room, the same terror griping her heart as that night.

Shortly after the theater incident, Shego had proposed to Kimberly, suddenly acutely aware of how quickly everything could slip away and not wanting to miss a moment of it. They were happily married for three years before deciding to expand their family. Brave as ever, Kimmie wanted to be the one to carry the child, a sudden light in her eyes appearing the moment she realized she wanted to be a mother. Shego had agreed, willing to do whatever it took to keep the light in her beloved wife's eyes. It took some time, more time and vexation than either wanted or needed, but they accomplished their goal; they were going to be parents.

But Kimberly wasn't due for another month when her water broke. Shego could still clearly hear the panic in the redhead's voice as she told the emerald-eyed woman it was time to go and she would never forget the nerve wracking drive to the hospital. She hadn't heard much since a few people- she couldn't be quite sure who- deposited her in the emergency room's waiting area. Shego knew doctors and nurses had been telling her things, but she couldn't understand any of it. She was too scared to understand anything beyond the fact that her Kimmie was going through something undoubtedly very painful and there was nothing Shego could do to protect her.

So when her gaze fell on a nurse she'd already seen a few times, Shego thought she would again be told things she wouldn't be able to comprehend. Then she noticed what the nurse was holding: a small bundle of a blanket. Now Shego's mind was kicking back into gear, stepping forward to accept the bundle from the nurse and craddling the light package to her chest. Carefully, oblivious to what the nurse was saying to her, Shego pushed the blanket aside and stared into the face of an angel. Her Angel. Kimmie's Angel too.

Gently, Shego was guided down the hall until she found herself in a room, where her Kimmie was lying on a bed with several machines surrounding her. Shego already didn't like the sight of her beloved wife hooked up to so many devices and, as she drew closer, the weak smile Kimberly offered did nothing to set her mind at ease.

"Kimmie," Shego spoke softly and lovingly, bending down so they could both gaze upon their son. Kimberly smiled a bit wider then, her olive orbs shining dimly. There was pride shining in those eyes and Shego just _knew_ their son had Kimmie's eyes. He just had to. "Have you named him yet? I know... I know we said we wouldn't decide until we saw him, but, well, we've seen him, and I think he's a Jonathan. Definitely a Jonathan." Shego nodded vigorously, as if to make up for the lack of energy from her love. They had argued a bit over the name before. Kimberly wanted Jonathan but Shego didn't like it. She had wanted something tougher, like Maximus or Bradley. "Jonathan's a good name, right? We could call him Johnny or, uh, Jon, right?"

"Jonathan... Maximus," Kimberly mumbled, raising her hand to brush the baby boy's cheek before lifting it to Shego's. She gave her wife the biggest smile she could. "He's beautiful."

"Of course he is! Look at his mother," Shego smiled and kissed Kimberly's cheek softly, tears stinging at her eyes. Kimmie gave a small laugh before she sighed. "K-kimmie?"

Kimberly's eyelids started to flutter close as several of the machines started beeping. The nurse from before had a hand on Shego's shoulder, gently pulling her from the bed.

"Ma'am, the baby's fine, but you'll have to leave. His Momma's fading fast."

Those were the only words Shego had understood from the woman all night. She didn't comply with the order though. Instead, she fell to her knees and did something she hadn't done in years. She'd quit praying to God when she was a teenager, because the church was just another group of people she could tick off. When she grew older, she was too busy to reestablish her contact with any otherworldly figure, especially when she had all she ever wanted or needed in her Kimmie. But now, with no where else to turn, Shego turned her emerald gaze to the heavens beyond the the confines of the hospital's roof and prayed, her baby son in her arms as the awful beeping continued.

"God, please, please, don't do this to me! I'll take her place, if you'll let me, make it my last request," Shego bowed her head, tears streaming from her face as she held the bundle in her arms a little tighter. "Please, take me out of this world. Just don't take the girl! Don't take my Kimmie!"

Shego cried, repeating her prayer in a soft voice as her newborn son began to cry.

Author's Note: Oddly enough, this came to me while listening to _She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy_ by Kenny Chesney one night while out on patrol. Somehow, in the middle of the chorus, I thought of Tim McGraw's _Don't Take The Girl_ (neither of which I own, throwing that out there) which is actually what this little... whatever, draws its inspiration from. Really, the images of Shego offering up her wallet to keep Kim safe and Shego on her knees while craddling her son and crying were what stuck with me the most and compelled me to write this. *shrug* How I went from Kenny to Tim is beyond me... I stopped trying to understand how my mind works... anyway, posted this up on the Haven and decided I might as well post it here too. Cleaned it up a bit and I probably could've done a lot more with it but... I guess I just liked the way it came out, for the most part. Reviews, criticism and flames, are welcomed as always.

As a side note, I'm _still_ working on Ch 11 of _ASiJC_... it's been increasingly difficult, but I have some, er, vacation time coming up soon. Maybe I just need to relax a bit. I also have some other projects in the works but no idea when anything will be coming out, if they will be at all. Some are just for my personal amusement. ;)


End file.
